The DayOne Accelerator has selected 15 early-stage TechBio and HealthTech startups to join its 2026 cohort, following its most competitive application cycle to date.
Chosen from nearly 240 applications representing 47 countries, these startups are developing technologies across AI-driven drug discovery, computational biology, preclinical research, diagnostics, laboratory technologies and research platforms – addressing multiple stages of the Pharma R&D value chain.
Over the next three months, the startups will take part in the DayOne Accelerator, a hybrid program based in Basel that connects founders with pharmaceutical companies, investors and industry experts to sharpen their value proposition, validate their technologies and accelerate collaboration across the Basel ecosystem.
”It has been inspiring to see the continued growth and quality of applications to DayOne this year. The 2026 cohort reflects the pace of innovation across TechBio and HealthTech, with a diverse range of technologies and solutions addressing real-world Pharma R&D challenges. I’m excited to work with these ambitious ventures, and see how they evolve as they build the partnerships, knowledge and momentum to accelerate their impact in Pharma R&D.
Cécile TardyPortfolio & Accelerator Lead, DayOne
Meet the 2026 cohort
ARTIC Technologies develops a scalable dynamic cell culture platform that brings physiologically relevant flow to standard Transwell assays, enabling more predictive in vitro models for drug discovery, starting with gut permeability and expanding to immune-oncology and blood-brain barrier applications.
Immunotherapies are at the forefront of cancer treatment, but differences in patient responses continue to drive clinical trial failures. Existing biomarkers focus largely on tumour susceptibility, leaving the immune system poorly profiled. Biopiq AI is building tools to close this gap and improve trial success.
BrightMol Biotech is an academic spin-off developing a proprietary platform that accelerates drug discovery through faster, more informative and cost-effective biological screening. Its technology delivers results 4x faster and at 50% lower cost than conventional methods.
Debios Diagnostics develops FIBROKIT®, a non-invasive urine test measuring kidney fibrosis, the main prognostic factor in CKD. Backed by biopsy-referenced clinical data, it is being developed for nephrology and kidney transplantation, while also supporting patient stratification and treatment-response monitoring in pharma R&D.
endogene.bio is a TechBio company building the first platform to turn menstrual blood into a scalable, non-invasive biopsy, enabling precision drug discovery, biomarker development and patient stratification for endometriosis and other uterine diseases.
Eupnoos is building the physiological safety intelligence layer for clinical trials. Its audiomics platform uses a short, guided breath test to detect cardiopulmonary adverse events earlier between visits.
Humaniche develops disease-matched bone marrow niche models for human-relevant preclinical drug testing in blood cancers, aiming to enable early prediction of patient responses, de-risk clinical development, and help advanced and targeted therapies reach patients safely and effectively.
Drug programmes stall when a metabolite or biomarker cannot be identified, or when two molecules with very different activity look identical. Isospec Analytics, resolves both, turning unknown signals into validated biomarkers, new targets and clear answers on efficacy and safety.
Kairo Bio is an Institut Pasteur spin-out building the functional reference map of human immunity. Combining standardized immune assays with AI, its platform helps predict immune responses and de-risk clinical development in immunology and inflammation.
Karavela is collecting the largest dataset of brain recordings to extract cognition directly from neural activity and power the next generation of neuro-AI biomarkers.
MOLECL makes glycosylation measurable in minutes, not days. Its nanopore platform reads protein modifications at single molecule resolution, giving biologics manufacturers and clinical labs answers that today require slow, expensive mass spectrometry.
NEBULA is a TechBio company using physics-driven generative AI to make undruggable targets druggable. Its patented platform reveals hidden binding sites and designs ready-to-test molecules beyond the reach of existing approaches.
ProviGenAI helps biopharma and CDMO teams accelerate assay and bioprocess development. Its platform directly controls existing lab automation, closing the loop between experimental design, robotic execution and learning, while scientists set objectives and constraints.
Rayca Precision connects pharma’s siloed developability and biophysics data into one self-improving molecular intelligence layer that guides drug design. It weighs the liabilities that kill drugs late before any molecule is made.
ZebraMed is a TechBio company combining agentic AI with an automated zebrafish biofoundry to improve preclinical drug discovery. Its platform generates human-relevant biological insights to accelerate target discovery and candidate optimization.
A rigorous selection process
This year’s applications were evaluated by a Selection Committee of senior leaders from pharma and diagnostics, investors and innovation partners, combining scientific, commercial and investment expertise.
Following an initial review, 33 startups were invited to Selection Days, where founders presented their technologies, answered questions from the committee and explored how their solutions could advance Pharma R&D.
After two days of presentations, interviews and deliberation, the committee selected a diverse cohort of founders from across Switzerland and Europe developing technologies across the Pharma R&D value chain.
”It is inspiring to see the exceptional quality and diversity of this year's applications. The level of innovation, entrepreneurial ambition, and commitment to improving patient outcomes reflects the strength of today's HealthTech ecosystem. As a Selection Committee member, I am excited to support this outstanding international cohort as they navigate the path to pharma readiness, helping translate bold ideas into solutions that can deliver meaningful impact for patients and the pharmaceutical industry.
Dominique HoffManaging Director, Entourage Pharma Consulting AG
”The Selection Days offered a unique opportunity to meet passionate entrepreneurs tackling important challenges with creativity and determination. The 2026 cohort impressed me with its diversity of ideas, technical excellence, and clear vision for the future. I am particularly excited by the combination of deep technology and real-world applications that this group brings, and I look forward to supporting these startups as they grow and shape the next generation of innovation.
Samantha PaolettiHead of Research and BD Life Science Technologies, CSEM
What's next
The cohort will begin their three-month acceleration journey with the in-person Kickoff Bootcamp in Basel in September. Thanks to weekly cohort and 1:1 sessions, they will then keep working with mentors, pharmaceutical partners and industry experts to shape their value proposition, strengthen their technologies, validate use cases and explore collaboration opportunities.
The program will conclude with the Innovation Showcase in early December, where the startups will present their progress to the Basel innovation ecosystem.
Up to three startups will then be selected for DayOne NEXT, the post-accelerator support program providing up to CHF 100,000 in funding and in-kind services, as well as 12 months’ desk space at Switzerland Innovation Park Basel Area.
Interested in joining the next cohort?
If you’re an early-stage TechBio or HealthTech startup developing solutions for Pharma R&D, we’d love to hear from you. The next Call for Applications opens in March 2027. Learn more about the DayOne Accelerator and express your interest here.
